Radioactive dating equation
17-Jul-2020 00:55
How can potassium 40 simultaneously have too many of both?
The answer reveals one of the peculiarities of the nuclear forces.
Without this characteristic gamma ray, it would be impossible to detect and identify the decay of potassium 40.
The mass energy of atom is above these of its two neighbours in the family of atoms with 40 nucleons in their nucleus : Argon-40 with one proton less and calcium-40 with one proton more. The beta-minus decay channel leading to calcium_40 is by far the most frequent, but decays leading to argon-40 by electronic capture occurs at a rate of 11 %.The decay of potassium into argon produces a gaseous atom which is trapped at the time of the crystallization of lava.
